§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has requested that British nuclear weapons should be taken into account in the intermediate nuclear forces talks in Geneva.
§ Mr. RifkindYes.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if British Polaris nuclear weapons, being strategic, are included in the strategic arms reduction talks between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ Mr. RifkindThe British nuclear deterrent represents a very small proportion of the superpowers' strategic nuclear arsenals. As in the SALT negotiations it is not being considered in the START talks. These are bilateral negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union, to bring about reductions to a level of parity between the two superpowers. We have made it clear that if present circumstances were to change significantly, and the Soviet military threat to Britain were to be reduced substantially, we would be prepared to review our position in relation to arms control.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if French nuclear forces are regarded as wholly strategic for the purposes of the intermediate nuclear forces talks in Geneva.
§ Mr. RifkindQuestions about the status or classification of French nuclear forces should be directed to the French Government. But the NATO Governments, as well as the French Government, have repeatedly stated that the independent French nuclear forces should not be taken into account in the negotiations in Geneva on intermediate range nuclear forces.